Regardless of what grocery store tabloids would have you believe, celebrities are not just like us. They live public lives of luxury and excess, and on many levels they are difficult to relate to. But there is one unifying experience that we can have with our favorite celebrities...the experience of being a parent. There are a lot of celebrity moms out there sharing their experiences with the world on social media, in interviews, and in books, but what about the celebrity dads? 

Below are three pieces of wisdom from sources you may not have thought of as partners in arms before, men in the spotlight who are trying to be the best parents they can. 

David Beckham: Understand what your children are interested in. 

David Beckham bonds with his children by reading them books, and he paid close attention to what books they liked. He didn’t just choose one off of the shelf at random, but he specifically looked for books on fairies for his daughter Harper. That way, he is both spending time with her and demonstrating to her that he values what is important to her.

Will Smith: Teach your kids responsibility by letting them make their own choices. 

Will Smith lets his kids do whatever they want to do...so long as they can explain to him why it is a good choice for them, and are willing to suffer the consequences. His priority is teaching his children that they are responsible for their own lives.  

Ewan McGregor: Commit to playtime. 

Ewan McGergor never gives his children half of his attention. If he has decided to play with them, he turns off his phone and focuses all of his attention on them. “Sneaking away”, even mentally, is no way to show your child that they are a priority.